Display devices



S. OFFSAY DISPLAY DEVICES Filed Oct. 21, 1965 QUADRI IDEA I Aug. 22, 1967 FIG.2

INVENTOR, Sum Offsoy,

awonuev.

If" I? United States Patent 3,336,686 DISPLAY DEVICES Sam Offsay, Bronx, N.Y., assignor to Quadri Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 500,032 12 Claims. (Cl. 40-30) The present invention relates to display devices and more particularly to the type which is animated.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved animated display device adaptable for constructions which first presents matter for attention to a product or service, and then alters its presentation to a display of further information. This cycle is endlessly repeated.

A further object thereof is to present the product or an incident of the service by a three-dimensional first display, the parts of which then move in the manner of the opening of a mouth, which unfolds into a second display.

.Another object thereof is to provide a display structure of the character described which is adaptable to be made of cardboard materials in the main, whose movement is provided by a tiny electric motor.

Still a further object thereof is to provide a novel and improved animated display device of the kind set forth which is simple in construction, reasonably cheap to manufacture, and efficient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For one practice of this invention, the display device includes two box structures positioned against a back panel and hinged thereto to swing away from each other whereupon a hidden folder which was between them is caused to open and become exposed. Upon swinging said boxes back to their initial position where they are next to each other, said folder will close and be hidden from view. The distal edges of the folder panels are joined to said boxes respectively; the juncture hinge line of said panels being rearward. An electric motor and incident mechanism, reciprocate the folder forwardly and then rearwardly, ad infinitum. Attachment of such mechanism to the folder is at the region of said juncture hinge line of said folder panels. The folder is of material having resilient quality, in the specific embodiment illustrated.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a display device embodying the teachings of this invention, shown in the condition where the box structures are together, ready to be swung away from each other on a rear panel to which 'they.are hingedly attached, to expose the panels of an automatically opening folder which in FIG. 1 is hidden from view.

FIG. 2 is a section taken at line 22 in FIG. 1, showing the box structures swung to an intermediate position. Part of the panels of the folder have become exposed, said folder having been partiall opened.

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 1, but here the boxes have been swung, each a quarter turn, and the folder is substantially completely open.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the box structures, the open folder and the motor-driven crank connected thereto. This view is like FIG. 3 with respect to the position of the parts, except that the rear panel on which the box structures are mounted, is omitted.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front view of a modified form of display device in which each box is part of an ellipsoid. The boxes are shown together.

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FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5, shown partly diagrammatically.

FIG. 7 is like FIG. 6, showing the boxes swung apart and the folder open.

In the drawing, the display device indicated generally by the numeral 15, comprises a back panel 16 having angular side wings presenting their surfaces 17 and 17 forwardly of the plane of said back panel. The numerals 18 and 19 indicate box structures, one over and adjacent the other, and respectively hinged onto the front surface of the back panel 16, by having the flaps 18', 19 pasted thereto to serve as hinges. Said boxes can swing a quarter turn away from each other to assume the positions that are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, whereupon panels 20, 21 of a folder structure, become exposed because the folder they comprise Was made to open. Outside the folder and along the junction line of its panels, there is a track element 24 along said entire line, having a lengthwise slot 22 therealong. An electric motor 26, is mounted on the rear surface of the back panel 16, by having a downward lug 27 fitted tightly in a pocket or strap 28. A crank 25 is securely mounted on the motor shaft 26, and the crank pin 25 is engaged in said slot 22 for movement therealong, so when the motor is operated, the track 24 will reciprocate laterally. An opening 23 through the back panel 16 allowing clearance for such reciprocation, is substantially out of view in the assembly. The crank 25 can also pass through said opening.

The panels 20, 21, are in hinged junction in relation to the track 24 and with each other. The mouth edges of the folder made up of said panels 20, 21 are respectively hinged to said box structures 18, 19. Said back panel and box structures may 'be of cardboard. The folder panels may be of cardboard or other stiff paper material having resiliency and may be integral with the box structures; said hinge function being offered by the resilient quality of the panels, so no actual score line need exist to accomplish hinge relation between a box structure and its associated folder panel. When the box is integral with the folder panel, and all is of resilient quality material, inserts may be necessary inside said box structures, to lend them proper rigidity. Such inserts are not shown.

When the boxes 18, 19 are together as in FIG. 1, the panels 20, 21 of the folder are behind them in superposed relation in the general plane of the contacting surfaces of said boxes, as in FIG. 6', and the hinge lines of the boxes with the back panel 16, are along those edges of said boxes which contact said back panel and are farthest apart.

- The exposed surfaces of the box structures may carry advertisement matter and so may the back panel and its wings 17, 17'. The inner folder surfaces may carry various pictorial and printed matter as may be desired. It is preferred that the boxes when together, shall attract attention to some product and that the display matter 2935 on the folders inner surfaces shall be related thereto. For this example, the boxes 18, 19 may simulate photo- .graphic film roll containers, and the showings 29-35, may

be photographs.

The box structures may take on many forms, rectangular as in FIG. 1, and parts of an ellipsoid as in FIGS. 5-7, being mere examples. Such a ellipsoidal box forms are indicated by the numerals 36 and 37, whose related folder panels are denoted by the numerals 38 and 39 respectively. Here the track is shown at 40, made by pasting the meeting ends of the panels 38 and 39 to one another along marginal lanes. The panel structure may be one piece as shown in FIG. 4, where the plies 20, 21 are secured together in any suitable manner, and each of said plies is provided with a lengthwise slot, which slots 3 register upon effecting the assembly, to offer the track slot 22.

Although the swing lines for the boxes are shown along the horizontal, various constructions to suit the needs of the moment, may locate the device 15 in different positions, so the swing lines are vertical or inclined, as may be desirable and applicable for various display situations. Also, the box structures may be without for instance, the walls carrying the indicia in FIG. 1, so their exposed interiors may be fitted with displays, in which instance such open boxes would need proper rigidity.

It is evident that upon working the motor 26, the rotary movement of its shaft will be translated to effect reciprocation of the track 24; the crank 25 being of proper length so that the folder will open as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and cause the boxes 18, 19 to turn ninety degrees each in opposite directions, so from the condition of the device 15 as shown in FIG. 1, it will be made to assume the condition shown in FIG. 3, and back again, for as long as the motor works.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments described herein shall be deemed merely illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather'than to the specific showings and description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a display device of the character described, a back panel, two box structures in substantially contact relation, both positioned in front of and directly opposite said back panel and hinged thereto on spaced parallel axes whereby said box structures are swingable away from each other towards said back panel whereupon said box structures assume spaced relation, two superposed panels extending rearwardly from said box structures respectively in a plane between said box structures; the rearward edges of said superposed panels being hinged in a junction line to form a folder; the forward edges of said superposed panels being hinged to said box structures respectively whereby said folder opens while said-box structures are moving apart and closes while said box structures are moving towards each other, an electric motor carried by said back panel and means driven by the shaft of said motor and associated with said folder at said hinged junction, for reciprocating said folder whereby the box structures are swung apart and then together as long as the motor is actuated.

2. A display device as defined in claim 1, wherein said folder has a track along the rear hinged junction of its panels; said means for reciprocating the folder, comprising a crank secured at one end to the shaft of the motor; said crank having a pin at its other end, engaged in said track for movement therealong; said crank extending to said shaft in a direction rearwardly away from said superposed panels.

3. A display device as defined in claim 1, wherein the extent of swing of each box structure is substantially a quarter turn. 1

4. A display device as defined in claim 1, wherein the length of each folder panel from the common hinged juncture of said panels to the respective box structures,

is such that the folder is opened substantially entirely when the box structures are furthest from each other.

5. A display device as defined in claim 1, wherein each folder panel is of a resilient material and integral with the box structure it extends from, and bendable to afford the opening and closing of the folder.

6. A display device as defined in claim 1, wherein said box structures are substantially in face-to-face contact.

7. In a display device of the character described, a back panel having an elongated slot, two box structures in substantially contact relation, both positioned against the front surface of said back panel whereby the general plane between said box structures passes through said slot; said box structures being hinged to said back panel on spaced axes parallel to saidslot whereby said box structures are swingable away from each other towards said back panel whereupon said box structures assume spaced relation, two superposed panels extending rearwardly from said box structures respectively, in said plane and through said slot; the rearward edges of said superposed panels being hinged in a junction line to form a folder; the forward edges of said superposed panels being hinged to said box structures respectively whereby said folder opens while said box structures are moving apart and closes while said box structures are moving towards each other, an electric motor mounted behind said back panel and means driven by the shaft of said motor and associated with said folder at said hinged junction, for reciprocating said folder whereby the box structures are swung apart and then together as long as the motor is actuated.

8. A display device as defined in claim 7, wherein said folder has a track along the rear hinged junction of its panels; said means for reciprocating the folder, comprising a crank secured at one end on the shaft of the motor; said crank having a pin at its other end, engaged in said track for movement therealong; said crank extending to said shaft in a direction rearwardly away from said back panel,

9. A display device as defined in claim 7, wherein the extent of swing of each box structure is substantially a quarter turn.

10. A display device as defined in claim 7, wherein the length of each folder panel from the common hinged juncture of said panels to the respective box structures, is such that the folder is opened substantially entirely when the box structures are farthest from each other.

11. A display device as defined in claim 7, wherein each folder panel is of a resilient material and integral with the box structure it extends from, and bendable to afford the opening and closing of the folder.

12. A display device as defined in claim 1, wherein said box structures are substantially in face to face contact.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,023 7/1916 Naylor .a 40-28 X 3,273,270 9/1966 Skrodbisch 4028 X EUGENE R. CAPO'ZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner.

W. GRIEB, Assistan Examin r. 

1. IN A DISPLAY DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A BACK PANEL, TWO BOX STRUCTURES IN SUBSTANTIALLY CONTACT RELATION, BOTH POSITIONED IN FRONT OF AND DIRECTLY OPPOSITE SAID BACK PANEL AND HINGED THERETO ON SPACED PARALLEL AXES WHEREBY SAID BOX STRUCTURES ARE SWINGABLE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TOWARDS SAID BACK PANEL WHEREUPON SAID BOX STRUCTURES ASSUME SPACED RELATION, TWO SUPERPOSED PANELS EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM SAID BOX STRUCTURES RESPECTIVELY IN A PLANE BETWEEN SAID BOX STRUCTURES; THE REARWARD EDGES OF SAID SUPERPOSED PANELS BEING HINGED IN A JUNCTION LINE TO FORM A FOLDER; THE FORWARD EDGES OF SAID SUPERPOSED PANELS BEING HINGED TO SAID BOX STRUCTURES RESPECTIVELY WHEREBY SAID FOLDER OPENS WHILE SAID BOX STRUCTURES ARE MOVING APART AND CLOSES WHILE SAID BOX STRUCTURES ARE MOVING TOWARD EACH OTHER, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR CARRIED BY SAID BACK PANEL AND MEANS DRIVEN BY THE SHAFT OF SAID MOTOR AND ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FOLDER AT SAID HINGED JUNCTION, FOR RECIPROCATING SAID FOLDER WHEREBY THE BOX STRUCTURES ARE SWUNG APART AND THEN TOGETHER AS LONG AS THE MOTOR IS ACTUATED. 